The Whimsical Nonostante Marras Shop!

If I ever go to Milan one of my first stop will be at the so whimsical Nonostante Marras Shop! I can't help but see myself renting this space for a Victorian party! I really don't understand why Barnes and Noble took all their comfy seats away? How much I miss seating on a comfy chair at that bookstore. But Italian's have it right! This fascinating and inviting concept shop was curated by fashion designer Antonio Marras.

This unique boutique has elements of this designer's fashion concept spread throughout his shop. If you ever seen Antonio's fashion show you will notice that the designer loves bold lines and colors. But on the other hand his design has also that Alice in Wonderland whimsical fantasy look to it.

Look Barnes and Noble comfy chairs! Very inviting. Me want to stay longer. The longer me stay the more books or magazines me want to take home.

Peeled wall paint. A great alternative to fresco walls!

Exposed ceiling beams adds that loft industrial feel. Again soft comfy chairs.

Rich red color against the white wall makes a fascinating contrast. Love the different mirrors!

I wish I could check the clothes rack! I could spot a few things that I would love to wear.

Gold and white is always so elegant!

Love the element of surprise.

Cute glass display. Great vintage pieces throughout the store!

The flowers are awesome! Great idea for a Spring wedding!

I'm totally inspired by this place!

Have I told you that Antonio's clothes designs are on my top list. When I see his fashion shows I get inspiration for my next shopping trip.

For more information on his boutique you may visit: http://www.nonostantemarras.it.

You can also visit Antonio's website to see his latest fashion shows and designs: http://www.antoniomarras.it/

The Rooster is Back!

Me in front of  Cracker Barrel Restaurant in Altamonte Springs ( Jan 2014)

Today I woke up feeling happy and energetic. Hubby had the day off. And I was so ready to have a fun time with him. The weather though was not that ideal. It had been drizzling and it was pretty cloudy. It was a yawn- stay- at- home- wearing- pj's- scratch- your- tush- sleep- all- day-kind- of- day. But no, not me! For 3 weeks I have been stuck at home wearing pj's, messy hair, being a bum and watching T.V. all day. Thanks, but no thanks. Of course I had been working on relaunching my Victoria Lee Jones website. So I wasn't a complete full- time bum. Though sometimes I did looked and smelled like one!

If I had stayed one more day in this house I think that I was going to loose it! This lack of inactivity was killing me! My energy levels was running on empty. But I had to hold on there and keep being positive, of course that was easier said than done.

But today I felt terrific! On the other hand the weather was not that terrific. I was in a conundrum. I wasn't too crazy about going and venturing out in that rain, but I'm bored to death in this house. I had to tough it out. I said to myself, " I am not going to allow a little rain stop me. Girl, go for it!" Of course I made sure to bring my umbrella, wear my warm beret, and boots because I didn't want to catch another bug again.

Cracker Barrel here we come! I could smell that homemade food again! A cozy place with great comfort food you just can't beat! What a perfect place to go when the weather outside is frightful. Our nearest Cracker Barrel is just 15 minutes away from our house. My mouth is now watering as I am writing this post.

As we entered the restaurant I could just taste the hashbrown casserole. Then low and behold. I couldn't believe my eyes! The rooster is back!

You see months ago Cracker Barrel had launched the rooster collection. Back then I had bought a cute red and black rooster print apron. I also had bought a set of 4 porcelain coasters for a dear elderly friend of mine whom I enjoy having tea with. My friend had just finished remodeling her kitchen and she hadn't started decorating it yet. The vintagey rooster coaster was a great start up inspirational piece to get her decorating going.

I also had seen other things in the collection that I wanted to purchase for a later date. I especially wanted some rooster soup bowls. Some of my kitchen walls are red.  The printed vintagey bowls with the black, white, and red was just perfect for my kitchen. 

Then several weeks later after visiting the restaurant again I couldn't find the cute bowls around. As a matter of fact most of the rooster collection was gone! It was like somebody had come in the restaurant in the middle of the night covered the roosters peek and stole the poor rooster away. Poor little fella!

I went looking online to see if I could spot these bowls. I went as far as to call the restaurant to see if they were going to bring back the rooster. I was going to rally in front of the store one of these days and call out "We want the red head! We want the red head!"

Did I finally get my bowls? I sure did! And my roosters are just where they should belong, right inside my cupboard in my red kitchen. Aren't these bowls cute! You know we used to have roosters back many years ago. These birds bring back memories of simpler times when we were kids living at home. It's no wonder I love this collection!

Yay, The roosters are back! And hopefully they could stay a little longer this time.

Cracker Barrel you rock!




________________________________________________________________________

On a future post:

As you can see in the photo I am wearing eyeglasses. This time there are real prescribed bifocals, which I have to wear all the time now. I am not too thrilled about wearing them. I think these glasses ages me. And it also makes my nose look funny. And I blame it all on Superman! I thought he was my hero!

...more later

The Archives: Art Deco Festival Bloopers

In January, I had the privilege of attending this year's Miami Beach Art Deco Festival 2009! I met artist, designers and singers. And while filming our first video, I met with Mr. Blooper! Here is a small preview of my Film at the Art Deco Festival. And don't forget to "accentuate the positive"! Enjoy!





Behind The Scenes:




The first day of the Art Deco Festival was pretty dreary and cold. So being inside the Miami Beach City Hall historic building was nice and cozy. My director couldn't travel with me that day, so I had to ask a dear friend of mine to be our director for the first day of the festival. I haven't seen my friend in years! That day was special for us both.






Historic Building:


The Miami Beach City Hall building was constructed back in 1927. This historic landmark is a Mediterranean Revival design. Recently the building went through a multi-million dollar renovation, which restored the building to its original beauty. Here you can appreciate the embossed print over the golden brown wooden floors.





Photo Fashion Shoot:


The night before the festival, I had my hair done in pin curls and used a non-fragrant hair spray. The next morning, I wore my art deco style dark faux fur hat. I wore a dark gray wool jacket and I added a black thin shiny belt to accentuate my waist. Then I added my black faux fur scarf. For shoes, I wore my beige Mary Janes pumps, which by the way are very comfortable.




Special thanks to the Miami Design Preservation League, for giving us the privilege for filming inside the City Hall Historic building! To be a member of the MDPL or to find out the upcoming events visit: MDPL.ORG


Copyright © 2009-2012 RetroTimes Productions.



The Archives: Post's from my old blog The RetroChic Corner. Original Post Date: 02/04/09

The Archives: A Date In Celebration

The first time that I visited the Town of Celebration Florida, I absolutely fell in love with it. I have always been interested in the old fashion homes and architecture of the mid 1900's. So there it was, this quaint and stylish town had everything that I had dream of. Come join me as I show you the best things of Celebration!






Behind the Scenes:

We arrived at Celebration around noon. The temperature was a perfect 75 degrees! Mind you it was still winter season here in Florida. Then after several hours later it started getting warmer and warmer. The weather by 2:00 pm was around 83 degrees. And we still haven't finished half of our filming. Trust me it wasn't a good makeup and hair day after that. So that's when we decided to take a break at Starbucks.


Anecdote:

On the Starbucks scene you might have heard a girl that said: "Oh my goodness!", several times. Well she was excited when she saw this small dog. Not only was he so cute. But while his owner was inside the shop, he was outside patiently waiting for him. What a smart doggie!




Photo Fashion Shoot:

My outfit consisted of a silk purple retro style top, a velvet fitted black skirt, red sandals & silky black gloves. To complete my outfit, I added a lovely silk green and purple scarf and a purple flower to my hair. The only vintage item that I had was my black purse, which I purchased in one of my favorite thrift stores in town.



Crew favorite pick:

Bill's favorite car is a 1965 Mustang. So when he saw this fire red 1965 Mustang, which by the way was in mint condition, he got pretty excited. Rule number six: "Don't be staring at other people's cars."








Copyright © 2009-2012 RetroTimes Productions.


The Archives: Post's from my old blog The RetroChic Corner. Original Post Date: 02/14/09

The Archives: The City Picnic

This past weekend doggie, hubby, and I went for a relax picnic in the city. Although I live in the city I really consider myself a nature out-doorsy kind of gal. The weather that afternoon was around 75 degrees. Perfect for a Florida fall picnic!

Here is Chewie and me enjoying time together. In the background you can see our little picnic setting under the tree. And on the right side of the picture you can see the lake. I believe always having a picnic near the water. And here in Florida there are tons of lakes, rivers, and ocean to choose from!

I had about an hour or so to prepare for our picnic. So I grabbed my Bohemian Girl Collection tote bag and picnic basket and packed food, drinks, blankets, towels, games, and reading materials.

Reading outdoors is the best thing ever! The fresh air and the serene sounds of nature adds to the ambiance.

Here is one of the books that we brought along to read: Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson. Several weeks ago hubby and I were watching the film based on this novel. I told my husband that I had never read the book. He happened to have a copy in his library. So at the picnic I started reading the first chapter of the book. So far I have enjoyed the writing style of the author. I think it's one of my favorites along with Jane Austen novels.

Can't forget to bring provisions to the picnic. This darling picnic basket was given to me by my mom.

I have been on a strict diet lately. So I made sure to pack plenty of fruits for our outing.

What is a picnic without visual inspiration? In this Vogue 2010 May issue I enjoyed the vintage styles of the past. And while I turned the pages of Vogue I enjoyed my delicious hearty apple.

Here is doggie and me having some activity time.

A little exercise is great for both of us.

Being that I had been in doors for quite some time now, It was truly great to feel healthier again and to reconnect with nature once again!

The Archives: Post's from my old blog The RetroChic Corner. Original Post Date: 11/22/10

The Archives: Happy For Bread & Butter!

Food! Who doesn't love food? I totally love it! Though, sometimes food could become my worst frenemy.

Because of health reasons, I do have a restrictive diet. For many years I couldn't eat many things that I used to enjoy. I know life can sometimes through you a couple of hiccups on the way. Though, thanks to a great natural doctor, and some supplements, I could once again enjoy some great food!

One of the many things that I could now enjoy occasionally, is bread! Oh, how I missed it! I would salivate when I saw someone taking a piece of bread along with their heavily seasoned spaghetti sauce! It was hard for me to feel somewhat left out, when all I could eat was a simple Caesar salad, which was perhaps the only food that I could eat whenever we will go out to a restaurant. Of course having great company was priceless, like that commercial says.

Now as a newborn baby, I am again experimenting with new foods! Though, I still have to be cautious, because sometimes I ended up paying for it. Like for instance two months ago, I was in the kitchen making one of my favorites soups, cream of squash. In my pot I added squash, some milk, brown sugar, a couple of spoons of butter, than I finish it off by sprinkling some cinnamon. I then asked hubby to try the soup. He tried a couple of spoons of it. And like the cute mouse from my favorite cartoon movie Ratatouille, he made his suggestions by adding more ingredients to my soup.

My hubby is not a chef or a cook, like some husbands are. I just wanted my hubby to try some squash soup. I thought that if he was also behind the cooking process and added his own suggestions, that he will at the end eat some of his vegetables.

You see my hubby doesn't care much for vegetables.Whenever I would add a side of vegetables to his diner, it was left untouched. So after many years later, I kind of cave in to his preferences. Well, that is what marriage is all about. As a matter of fact, I am thinking of purchasing the books The Sneaky Chef or Deceptively Delicious, that way I can make sure that he eats his veggies, without him noticing it. My little secret!

Anyhow to make a long story short, the soup turn out a great hit! That is, a hit to my stomach. My tummy couldn't handle all of that extra cinnamon. And can you believe that I am still paying for it. For several weeks, all I could do was lay down on the couch and watch TCM, which by the way is making me an old movies expert!

So what does the title of my post, "Happy for Bread and Butter", have to do with the story. Well, even though I might hold off on the cinnamon for now, I am still enjoying some good things of life! And that leads me to the happy part of my story. I am so thrilled to share with you my new and favorite bread and butter combination: Pumpernickel bread with honey butter!

If it wasn't for Sweet Tomatoes, I wouldn't have been able to rediscover my passion for bread and butter! If you are not familiar with Sweat Tomatoes, it's an all you can eat salad, soup, and pasta buffet restaurant, And the best part of this story is that this is the only restaurant that hubby gets to eat all of his veggies!

At the end, my hubby is happy. I am happy. And my tummy feels happy, after of course, I eat all of my salad with my two slices of pumpernickel bread with honey butter!


I am a happy and grateful girl!



Photo: Flickr Creative Commons by Jonathan Gill.



The Archives: Post's from my old blog The RetroChic Corner. Original Post Date: 12/17/09

The Archives: Fantasy Retro Dream Home

For all of you retro lovers out there, this is what my retro dream home would look like! A silver retro trailer attached to a vintage woody wagon! Simple outdoor living, with an hint of sophistication! I am totally loving it!

Even though I love being in my little quite home, and I love my neighborhood, deep down inside I am a very adventurous gal. You see I came from a family that wasn't afraid to get up and move to another town, city, or country. The longest that I lived in one place is three years. We never really didn't have time to settled down like many families do. My dad will come one afternoon from work and would say, "It's time to move." My mom and us four kids knew the drill. And within that day we were packed, in the car, and ready to go.

So when I asked a friend how long they have been living in their house, and they say, "I have lived here all my life," I find it really strange and amusing. I can't fathom being in one place for all my life. I think that most of my life learning came from my experiences of living in different places. That is way I love traveling!

I always wanted to have my own retro trailer and travel throughout the states. And I am not just saying for vacation, but that is how I would love to live. I know that it sounds pretty crazy for many people, but I think that being stuck and one area is quite boring.

For several months my hubby and I was thinking of making a big move. The job market was bad where we live. So we put our home in the market. And hoping that we can sell it, and move to a new location! I was all for it. I was ready to start a new chapter in our lives. And the best part of it my hubby was also!

You see my hubby also grew up moving from one place to another. Just listening to his stories about how he grew up, was like if we both grew up together. Finding that we were in this together gave me a chance to share my plans. Yes, I started with, "Oh, my goodness I would like for us to get a silver trailer and travel through out the states! You can get the job that you want. We can can stay at different locations. If we get bored we just pick up and go. Wouldn't that be great"?

My hubby then said, "huh. living in a trailer?" Yes, I did say trailer. Hubby was a bit surprised. You see several years ago before we bought this house, hubby suggested for us to buy a mobile home. I was not 100% convinced about living in a mobile home. Living here in Florida with hurricanes and tornadoes, and imagining that we were not in Kansas anymore, made me think twice in moving to a mobile home.

My idea about us traveling all over the States in our cute little retro home on wheels, made my hubby a little apprehensive. He was definitely ready to move to another state, though not in a home on wheels. He then explained the reasons: "It is more expensive than renting a place and we will be cramped in this very, very small place."

And that is when I knew that my hubby is not as adventurous as I thought he was.

So at the end I couldn't convince hubby. In the meanwhile I kept on dreaming about how our lives will be if we traveling in our retro home. Then that is when I saw this movie: The Long, Long Trailer (1954; MGM).

This is the very first technicolor movie that Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz appeared on. This movie is about honeymooners who buy a trailer home and soon encounter the problems of living in a house on wheels.

When I first saw the beginning of the movie, I was totally excited! Here it was the very thing that I am dreaming of doing. The wife dreamed of having a little place to call her home. And she got her dream, when she was able to convince her husband in getting the trailer. And after they were off in starting their new life living in a trailer, that was when things started to really look ugly for them and for the trailer.

There was one scene where they went to a heavily wooded area just like the picture above. Though imagine the scene with a torrential rain. The trailer ended side ways and stuck in the mud. That scene was so funny for the first few minutes, until I thought that that could easily be me and my hubby under those same circumstances. My hands literally started to sweat.

Even though my retro dream home fantasy came to a screeching stop. It didn't dampen the possibility that hubby and I could one day own our silvery vintage trailer... of course only for vacation purposes!




P.S. I am totally enjoying my Sunday with the live broadcast from the Cidada Club! Enjoy your week!

Photo: Flickr Creative Commons.



The Archives: Post's from my old blog The RetroChic Corner. Original Post Date: 12/13/09